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The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the largest in history, and it’s meeting a growing American soccer fanbase on home turf for the first time since the ’90s. With companies paying millions to reach these fans, the challenge is standing out from the noise. On this episode of FC Explains, Fast Company Senior Staff Editor Jeff Beer explores what he’s learned from Men in Blazers co-founder Roger Bennett about how brands can leverage compelling storytelling and authentic fan culture, which sometimes matter more than the action on the field. Beer also shares insights from executives at major brands like Verizon and Anheuser-Busch about their World Cup marketing strategies to build lasting fan connections through global league sponsorships and tournament partnerships, while avoiding the “cultural wallpaper” effect that often happens at major sporting events.
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E-Commerce
BMW has issued a recall of 87,394 vehicles over a defect that could cause the engine to overheat and start a fire. The recall, issued on Jan. 30, covers models made between 2021 and 2024. It includes nine BMW models, as well as one Toyota model, which shares similar structures and parts. The recalled BMW vehicles include: Toyota Supra, 2021-2023, BMW 5 Series, 2021-2024, BMW Z4, 2021-2022, BMW 2 Series Coupe, 2022-2023, BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe, 2022-2024, BMW 4 Series Convertible, 2021-2024, BMW 4 Series Coupe, 2021-2023, BMW 3 Series, 2021-2024, BMW X4, 2021-2023, and BMW X3, 2021-2024. In a blog post, BMW said the defect involves “unexpected wear on an internal component” which may “cause the starter to stop working properlysometimes surfacing first as a no-start conditionbut the higher-stakes concern is heat.” It continued, “NHTSAs report says that ‘in an extreme case, the issue could cause a thermal event or fire when starting the engine, or while the engine is running.” Just months ago, BMW issued a similar recall. In October, the company recalled 145,000 vehicles over a starter defect that could overheat and spark a fire. Prior to that, it recalled 200,000 vehicles for the same reason. Still, BMW is not the only car company to appear plagued by recalls as of late. At the end of last year, Ford recalled over 270,000 electric and hybrid vehicles over a parking function issue. Porsche recalled over 173,000 vehicles over a problem with the rearview camera image. Earlier in 2025, the NHTSA also issued similar recalls of Hyundai Motor America, Ford Motor, Toyota Motor, and Chrysler vehicles. The recall notice indicates that BMW is not aware of any accident or injuries, for both the BMW vehicles, as well as the Toyota Supra vehicles, due to the issue. It also noted that dealers will replace the engine starter at no cost to owners. Notification letters are expected to be mailed to vehicle owners on March 24, 2026.
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E-Commerce
I dont care if you own a car, SUV, minivan, pickup truck, private jet, or one of each. This essay isnt a judgment on consumerism. Its about how the forces shaping our automotive obsession ripple into land use policy, infrastructure funding, government subsidies, and every facet of urbanism. Once upon a time, did Americans flock to dealerships out of pure needor were they herded by subversive forces? Was it free will or predestination? The automobile’s rise was a master class in what the military would call a psychological operation, a psy-op. In a flash, the “household automobile” became the “personal automobile,” thanks to advertising genius that turned utility into aspiration. {"blockType":"creator-network-promo","data":{"mediaUrl":"","headline":"Urbanism Speakeasy","description":"Join Andy Boenau as he explores ideas that the infrastructure status quo would rather keep quiet. To learn more, visit urbanismspeakeasy.com.","substackDomain":"https:\/\/www.urbanismspeakeasy.com\/","colorTheme":"blue","redirectUrl":""}} The godfather of modern PR At the heart of this shift was Edward Bernays, Sigmund Freud’s nephew and the godfather of modern public relations. Bernays didn’t sell cars; he sold dreams, using emotional triggers to link vehicles with individualism, prestige, and progress. His tactics transformed cars from practical tools into must-have symbols of self-expression. Drawing from Uncle Freud, Bernays targeted subconscious desires. Early- and mid-20th-century ads were dry, like user manuals highlighting features. Bernays led the marketing pivot to allure. Chevrolet’s 1950s “See the USA in Your Chevrolet” campaign painted cars as portals to adventure and family memories. Manufacturers introduced annual model updates, rendering last year’s ride obsolete, a strategy Bernays tested for GM after Henry Ford dismissed it as sleazy. It worked brilliantly, birthing “planned obsolescence” and embedding perpetual consumption into our culture. Edward Bernays ca. 1981 [Photo: Bettmann/Getty Images] Ford’s Model T was pitched as the universal car, bridging class divides. GM segmented its market with Chevrolets for practical families and Buicks for status seekers. Its funny that people today want to dismiss the consumerism psy-op as conspiracy theory, even though Bernays documented and openly bragged about his methods in TV and radio interviews over his 103-year life. Cars: A timeline Here’s a snapshot of some of the auto industry’s milestones: 1900-1910: From 8,000 registered cars in 1900 to over 400,000 by 1910, fueled by early hype. 1908-1916: Henry Ford’s assembly line dropped the Model T’s price from $825 to $360, marketed as “the car for everyman” to symbolize modernity. 1920s: Automakers spent the equivalent of $2 billion in todays dollars on ads that shifted from facts to feelings. 1920s-1950s: GM’s yearly changes cut car lifespans from five years to two to three, creating upgrade culture. 1950s: More than $300 million spent on ads emphasizing freedom and status; car ownership ranked second only to homes as a status symbol. 1960s-1970s: 80% of cars bought on credit, with ads focused on lifestyle, then pivoted to “green” virtue-signaling amid environmental concerns. 21st Century: Auto ads remain a top-10 spender for a population of buyers that is predominantly completely on personal cars to get around. Emotional forces The best advertisers understand that humans are feeling creatures who sometimes think, as opposed to thinking creatures who sometimes feel. Cereal, shoes, carsit all preys on the same impulses. The auto industrys success defied logic because even as saturation hit, demand surged. They were and are enjoying the outcomes of a culture that believes everyone 16 and up needs their own personal car. Im a car owner, and Ill be the first to tell you motor vehicles are incredible inventions. The more I learn about human behavior and our decision-making process, the more examples I see in my own life where my behavior was nudged by outside forces tugging my emotional strings. If youre interested in changing how the built environment is planned, designed, and maintained, understanding the power and tools of persuasion will help you immensely. So much of culture is downstream from propaganda. {"blockType":"creator-network-promo","data":{"mediaUrl":"","headline":"Urbanism Speakeasy","description":"Join Andy Boenau as he explores ideas that the infrastructure status quo would rather keep quiet. To learn more, visit urbanismspeakeasy.com.","substackDomain":"https:\/\/www.urbanismspeakeasy.com\/","colorTheme":"blue","redirectUrl":""}}
Category:
E-Commerce
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